Cultural Centre — Why Geneva?

Geneva is home to some of the world's most influential peace-focused NGOs — the International Peace Bureau, Interpeace, Peace Brigades International, the International Centre for Peace and Human Rights — and is equally distinguished by its artistic heritage and intercultural openness, welcoming representatives of all nations within its borders.

A humanitarian history, century after century

• 1536 — Geneva welcomes Jean Calvin, followed by tens of thousands of Protestant refugees.
• 1762 — Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a citizen of Geneva, proposes in his Social Contract to act on the causes of conflict, not merely its effects.
• 1830 — Jean-Jacques Sellon, a politician and campaigner against slavery and the death penalty, founds the Peace Society.
• 1863 / 1864 / 1876 — Henry Dunant founds the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded, initiates the first Geneva Convention, and the committee later becomes the International Committee of the Red Cross.
• 1868 — Marie Goegg-Pouchoulin founds the first International Association of Women.
• 1872 — Gustave Moynier puts forward the idea of an International Court of Justice.
• 1919 — Geneva becomes the seat of the League of Nations and sees the birth of the International Labour Office.
• 1946 / 1966 — The European Office of the United Nations is established in Geneva, later becoming UNOG.
• 1949 — 59 States update the 1864, 1906 and 1929 Conventions in Geneva, and add a fourth convention on the protection of civilians.
• 1951 — The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is created.
• 1954 — The Geneva Accords bring an end to the war between France and North Vietnam.
• 1985 — The Reagan–Gorbachev meeting marks the symbolic end of the Cold War.
• 2006 — 42 countries sign the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.

Today, the Palais des Nations hosts 8,000 conferences a year, making Geneva the world's leading centre for diplomatic conferences.

The Culture of Peace according to UNESCO

The CIBP frames its action within the 16^th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions":

1. Strengthen a culture of peace through education — for everyone, and especially for girls.
2. Promote sustainable economic and social development and the eradication of poverty.
3. Promote respect for all human rights.
4. Ensure equality between men and women.
5. Foster democratic participation and the shaping of responsible citizens.
6. Develop understanding, tolerance and solidarity among peoples.
7. Support participatory communication and the free flow of information.
8. Promote international peace and security through disarmament and conflict prevention.